Anything for You
by Tsukino Akume
Summary: Jason's home life wasn't what everyone thought Angel Grove's 'Golden Boy' had. A different version of why he left for the peace conference, and what really made him come back.
1. Argument

Disclaimer:If I owned the Power Rangers, Amber would most likely be a character at this point, not to mention it would probably be a lot darker and would have more shirtless scenes mixed with homosexual romance. *Shrugs* I blame Inbonekoen, Dingo, Starhawk, and The Girl in the Red Jacket for introducing me to the various forms of PR slash. I'm now addicted.  
  
In the process of writing the epic life-eating-bastard-fic I've been trying to write for roughly two years now, I started to come up with family backgrounds for the Rangers in my universe. Somehow I came the the conclusion that I wanted 'Golden Boy' Jason to have a harder family life then he seemed to. Amber Lee Scott was born from that train of thought, and I'm finding I'm quite attached to her.  
  
I started wondering while working on the epic life-eating-bastard-fic why Jason left for the Peace Conference in the first place, after reading a lovely fic about his reasons for going, and several more about his reasons for coming back. I decided that my universe needed one of those, and thus this fic was born.  
  
This is fairly self explainatory; Jason is about 15-16, and lives with his 19 year old sister. Their parents died several years ago, and after a few trials and tribulations, Amber became Jason's guardian. Obviously, having your older sister as your caretaker is not without problems. This is in tribute to the loving, psychotically protective big sister Amber has become, and the strange relationship she has with Jason. I'm still trying to figure out which of my muses is responsible for this; I suspect Chibiko, but since she usually sticks to anime fandom I could be wrong. Either way, enjoy! ^_^  
  
  
  
Anything For You  
  
Chapter 1:Argument  
  
Jason stared down at the application he'd been handed. He'd tried to protest, saying he wasn't interested, but the woman hadn't heard him. As he read it, he found it was filled with questions he could answer easily. It wouldn't really be so bad to live overseas, promoting peace, would it?  
  
He shook his head emphatically, trying to chase the thoughts from his head. No way. He couldn't just leave the Rangers like that. They needed him, and he loved his friends too much to leave them. Besides, he couldn't leave Amber all alone...could he?  
  
He shook his head again, holding the application out to put it in the trash. But something stopped him, and he found himself shoving it into his binder as he hurried to his locker. It wasn't like he was seriously considering it, though. Never.  
  
****  
  
He knew even before he opened the door he was going to hear The Rant. There was no avoiding it this time. He had come straight home after school to take his turn cleaning the house, but had gotten a call on his communicator. The battle had lasted longer than he'd liked, and required a trip to the Command Center for the whole team to be patched up afterwards. It was nearly 9:00 now. He knew she was furious.  
  
Sure enough, she was waiting for him, arms crossed over her chest as she stared. He tried not to fidget. Amber was incredibly intimidating when she was angry, despite the fact that she was shorter. Her dark eyes bored into his. "I'm home." he said hesitantly, knowing keeping silent would only drag this out. Amber was the type to wait until he said something, then explode at him. Sure enough, explode she did. She was getting predictable that way.  
  
"I don't believe you! I came home three and a half hours ago! The house is a still a complete disaster, there's no sign of you, and you didn't leave so much as note to let me know where you'd gone!"  
  
He held back a wince. He *knew* he'd forgotten something.  
  
"I thought I could count on you to be more responsible than this, Jason! Do you have any idea how worried I was?! There was a monster alarm, and I find out you weren't even where you were supposed to be so I'd know you were safe! And don't even try to tell me you were stuck in a shelter; everyone was let loose an hour ago, and you didn't even bother to so much as *call* me. You weren't even supposed to be gone in the first place! You *promised* me you'd clean the house today Jason! You *promised*! Now I have to stay up tonight to clean!"  
  
"I'll clean it up." he offered, guilt washing over him. Amber had to work tomorrow; she couldn't afford to loose sleep cleaning.  
  
"You have school in the morning." she snapped. "I want you to finish your homework before bed. I'm sure you haven't gotten to it yet."  
  
"I can do both." he protested.  
  
"No." she snapped, running a hand through her shoulder length brown hair in frustration. "God, Jason. Ms. Larren is coming tomorrow. I really needed you to clean the house today."  
  
His heart sank. Ms. Larren was the social worker monitoring their case. She was an older woman with a suspicious nature, obscenely strict rules, and not a forgiving bone in her body. As far as he was concerned, he'd rather face Lord Zedd one on one again. Zedd was nicer.  
  
"Do you want to be taken to a foster home? Is that it?"  
  
He stared at her. "What?"  
  
"Do you want to leave, Jason?" she demanded. "Can you really not stand a little responbility? I don't ask you for that much; just keep up your grades, stay out of trouble, and help around the house a little. I even let you practice karate and hang out with those friends of yours that are always getting you hurt. Is that too much to ask of you?"  
  
His temper flared, and he found himself responding without thinking. "How would you know what responsibilities I have when you're never around? I do everything you ask. Something came up and I had to leave before I got the house cleaned, alright? And my friends do not get me hurt! They're the best friends I have!" He knew something was going to be said that he didn't mean, but he couldn't stop himself once he'd started. "They spend more time looking out for me than you do!"  
  
They both froze in shock, staring at one another. He regreted it the moment he'd said it, but it was too late to take it back. Her silence was scaring him. When she finally looked up, he flinched at the pained look in her eyes. "Amber-"  
  
"Go to your room, Jason."  
  
"Amber, I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"  
  
"Go, Jason."  
  
He cringed, slowly heading toward his room. He paused in the doorway, looking back to see Amber sitting at the dining table, resting her chin on folded hands as she stared off into space. Tears welled in his eyes and he brushed them away almost angrily. So things had been hard on her since Mom and Dad died. They were hard on him, too.  
  
He ignored the voice in his head that whispered he should have given her a break. It wasn't like she was listening to his appology, anyway. He slammed his door closed, shoving down another flash of guilt. As he grabbed his backpack to start his homework, the application to the peace conference fell out.  
  
He paused, staring at it. His eyes narrowed and he quickly grabbed a pen. If he was too much trouble, he'd get out of her way. Maybe then she'd be happy.  
  
****  
  
"I've been what?" Jason stared blankly at Kimberly.  
  
She giggled. "You, Zack, and Trini were chosen to represent the U.S. in the world peace conference, silly!"  
  
He shook his head slowly, panic setting in. "I-I can't leave! What about the Rangers?"  
  
"A suitable person may be found to take your position as the Red Ranger, Jason." Zordon announced. "There is no need to turn down such a wonderful opportunity."  
  
"But..." He looked around, unsure of what exactly to say. "I didn't really...I didn't think I'd actually get picked." he tried. "I don't want to leave you guys. I mean...."  
  
Trini laid a hand on his arm with a gentle smile, seeing his hesitation for what it was. "The Rangers will keep going, Jason. And Zack and I will be with you. You can tell Amber that you won't be alone."  
  
He nodded reluctantly. {Man... What the heck am I gonna tell Amber?} he wondered. 


	2. Departure

Anything for You  
  
Chapter 2:Departure  
  
Jason stared out the window of the airplane, fists clenched tightly. He couldn't believe it. She wouldn't even come to see him off. After everything, no matter how many times he had tried to explain his reasoning, helped with the paperwork and around the house, she wouldn't even say goodbye. Her absence had hurt far more than he was willing to admit.  
  
Trini touched his fist, giving it a gentle squeeze. She said nothing, knowing there was nothing she *could* say. Zack reached across her to pat his shoulder, offering his own support. He tried to smile to say he appreciated knowing they were in this together, but he still felt like a part of him had been left behind in Angel Grove. At last he muttered something about the bathroom and squeezed past them, refusing to look at their sympathetic gazes. He barely made it inside to lock the door before he lost it, leaning against the wall of the tiny space as silent sobs wracked his frame.  
  
"Why?" he choked out. "Why didn't you come?"  
  
****  
  
"At last!" Zack moaned, tossing his duffle on the ground and flopping on the bed of the dorm room they shared. "I thought that plane was *never* going to land!"  
  
Jason remained silent, carefully unpacking his suitcase. His eyes were still faintly red, but his friends had wisely chosen to say nothing. He just wanted to crawl in bed and sleep, ignoring all his problems. Hopefully if he slept long enough, he'd forget his thoughts completely.  
  
To his annoyance, someone knocked on the door and poked their head in. "One of you Scott?"  
  
"Lee Scott." he corrected automatically. Scott was his father's last name; Lee his mother's. They'd combined them when Amber was born, being that they weren't married, and Amber had insisted on the same for him. He was proud of being a Lee Scott, and he had no qualms about reminding people.  
  
"Whatever. You've got a phone call."  
  
He exchanged a puzzled glance with Zack before following the man, his friend following behind. Who in the world would call at this hour? And how did they know when he'd arrived?  
  
He picked up the phone cautiously. "Hello?"  
  
"Jase?"  
  
He frowned. "Tommy, is that you? What's up, bro? How'd you know when we got here?"  
  
"I kept calling until they said they found you." came the simple reply. "Jase...here."  
  
There was a pause, and a teary voice came on. "Jason?"  
  
He started, eyes widening. "Amber?"  
  
"Oh, god, Jason, I'm sorry!" she sobbed hysterically. "I tried to get there in time but there was so much traffic and then I got there but they said the plane was done loading and they wouldn't let me on-"  
  
"Breath, Amby." he soothed, trying to keep her from hyperventilating.  
  
There was a moment of silence.  
  
"Amber?" he asked, growing worried. "Are you still there?"  
  
Her voice was so quiet he had to strain to hear it. "You called me Amby."  
  
He swallowed. "You're still my Amby, aren't you?"  
  
"Yeah." she whispered.  
  
He found a relieved smile creeping across his face, only to be stopped by a yawn.  
  
"You should get some sleep." she said softly.  
  
"I don't wanna hang up."  
  
"Me, neither." A pause. "I am proud of you, Jason. No matter what. I love you so much, and I just...miss you." she faltered.  
  
"I miss you, too." he told her quietly. He fought off another yawn, dreading the thought of ending the conversation.  
  
There was a soft chuckle. "Go to sleep, Jason. You can call me when you wake up, and we'll talk more then."  
  
"Promise?" he mumbled.  
  
"Promise." Her tone was warm and gentle, making him feel reassured. "Sweet dreams good night. I love you, baby brother."  
  
"Love you too, Amby."  
  
"Hang up, Jason."  
  
He hesitated.  
  
"Now, Jason."  
  
He set the phone down reluctantly, turning to find Zack smiling at him. The other boy clapped him on the back. "Let's get some sleep, man. I'm exhausted."  
  
"Me, too." he admitted. When he crawled into his new bed in an unfamiliar room, the familiar phrase rang through his mind, and he closed his eyes with a smile on his face. "Sweet dreams good night, Amby." he murmured.  
  
Zack grinned to himself at his friend's words. Jason may be a tough guy, but when it came to Amber, he was a little childish. Trini and Kimberly claimed it was 'charming' and 'cute'. He thought it was funny himself, but he would never tell Jason that. Jason needed his big sister, and the comfort she provided.  
  
Besides, he was quite frankly just as scared of a protective Amber as everyone else. 


	3. Gift

I wasn't going to post this yet, and wait until I had another chapter to add to it, but I couldn't help myself. Thank you to agge, melly, and Dagmar Buse for the wonderful reviews. I'm so glad you guys like this! ^_^  
  
Chapter 3:Gift  
  
Stretching, Jason sighed. Christmas had come far too fast. He'd sent off his gifts to his old friends and Amber, and had sufficiently stashed the ones for Zack, Trini, and his other friends at the conference. Unfortunately, it had come to that frustrating state when Christmas had been rushed to get here, and was now dragging by until the actual morning of.  
  
Amber had always teased him about his Christmas anxiety. His heart panged at the thought of her. He missed her like crazy, and the letters and phone calls they exchanged only helped so much. He'd hoped to wrangle a flight to Angel Grove for the season, but there was no way he could find room on a flight, let alone afford it.  
  
He sighed again as someone knocked on his door. "It's open!"  
  
Zack poked his head in, grinning wider than the Cheshire Cat. "Hey, Jase. Trini and I were talking, and we decided we wanted to give you your Christmas present a little early."  
  
He raised an eyebrow.  
  
Zack stepped aside, allowing room for another person to enter behind him. Jason's eyes shot wide. "Amber!" he shouted, lunging to his feet. He threw his arms around her, squeezing as tight as he could without hurting her. She hugged back with a force that left him breathless.  
  
He was barely aware of Zack and Trini creeping back out with grins on their faces. Amber smiled up at him, brushing tears from his eyes even as he did the same for her. "God, I missed you." she murmured, leaning against him.  
  
"Me, too." he said hoarsely, giving her another squeeze. "How...I mean...how...?"  
  
She chuckled. "I take back everything I ever said about your friends." At his confusion, she elaborated. "Zack, Trini, Tommy, Billy, and Kimberly pooled their money to get me a plane ticket. From what I heard, Tommy and Kimberly even sweet-talked my boss to make sure I could go."  
  
"I'll have to thank them." he murmured, deeply touched.  
  
She sighed contentedly. "I don't think there's anything I could do to thank them enough."  
  
"I know the feeling."  
  
There was a moment of silence where they simply held onto one another. At last he pulled away. "Uh, here." He quickly cleared off a chair for her, hastily shoving his stuff under his bed.  
  
She raised an eyebrow as she sat. "So that's how you always kept your room so clean."  
  
He smiled faintly. "Actually, I really cleaned it at home. I just never needed to here." The smile turned into a grin. "Besides, it drives Zack crazy."  
  
She laughed along with him, and he could barely remember the last time he felt so happy and nervous all at once. "So you like it here?" she asked.  
  
He hesitated, not quite sure how to answer. "Yeah. Of course I do." He plopped down on his bed and almost missed her rolling her eyes.  
  
"Truth, Jason." she demanded.  
  
He stared at her for a moment, then sighed. "I *do* like it here. I know I'm doing something worthwhile, and I like the people. It's a great experience."  
  
"But?"  
  
"But I miss Angel Grove." he admitted. "I miss hanging out with Tommy, Billy, and Kimberly. I miss giving karate lessons. I even miss Bulk and Skull." He shrugged helplessly, giving the only analogy he could. "I feel like a warrior trapped in peace talks. I love the work, but it's not me, you know?"  
  
"You always did have that violent protective streak." she murmured. She winced just as his temper began to flare. "Sorry. I promised myself I wouldn't fight with you while I was here."  
  
His temper abated a little, and he nodded his understanding. "And I miss Sunday Breakfast." he added suddenly, though that wasn't quite what he'd meant to say.  
  
Sunday Breakfasts were a tradition his mother had started. Sunday had been the only day of the week neither of his parents were working, and she had insisted it was going to be a family day. As Amber and Jason had gotten older spending the entire day together was nearly impossible, but they still managed to sit down for a huge breakfast together. It was one of the things that made them feel close as a family, no matter the circumstances.  
  
After they'd died, Jason had been taken to a temporary foster home while Amber was deemed old enough to care for herself. She'd rallied against the state's decision with a vicious determination Jason never knew she had. They had been like every other brother and sister before; while they cared for one another, they spent more time fighting than looking out for each other. Yet here she was, fighting fiercely to prove she was able to take care of both of them. When she'd finally managed for an appeal, the judge had actually asked Jason what he wanted. His response had been simple and completely honest: "My grandparents disowned us before either of us were even born. I don't have any aunts or uncles, and my parents are dead. My sister is the only family I have. I don't want to loose her with everone else." It was the sincerity in his voice and the caring, teary look Amber gave him in return that had awarded her custody.  
  
It wasn't easy, that was for sure. They were still used to fighting and ignoring one another, and had to try and surpress the instinctive need to argue. It was after a particularly cruel and nasty fight that Jason had woken up to Amber struggling to make a Sunday Breakfast. He'd helped without comment, and while the meal hadn't been the best, they had talked while they ate and bonded in ways he'd never realized they could. They had both learned to cook better since then, as their living situation required it, and Sunday Breakfast had become a sworn tradition. It was what kept them close, where plans were discussed, and where they learned more about each other's daily lives. Something he'd sorely missed since he left for Europe.  
  
To his surprise, she simply smiled back at him. "I miss it, too."  
  
It occured to him how odd this was; his big sister had just flown halfway across the world to see him, and all they did was make small talk. Judging by her expression, it seemed to register to her at the same time. They exhanged grins, and found themselves laughing together.  
  
And Jason couldn't help but notice that a part of the hole in his heart that had formed when he left Angel Grove seemed to have filled. 


	4. Videos

Ta dah! Anything for You has been resurrected! ^_^;;; Many thanks to Dagmar Buse, melly, agge, cmar, and Philip for your lovely reviews and patience. And a special thank you to agge, for reminding me that she was waiting for more. Sorry, but there actually isn't any slash or couplings in this one. At best there may be hints. Enjoy, guys!  
  
Chapter 4:Videos  
  
Jason looked at the video tape labled 'For Jason' dubiously. Amber had left it with him when she finally had to go home. Tommy had given it to her to pass on. He wasn't sure what was on it, and Amber said she hadn't asked. But then again, she'd never been all that fond of Tommy since the day he'd walked him home from the fall of the evil Green Ranger. The boys had talked and bonded on that walk, only to be forced to tell a frantic Amber his scrapes and bruises had come from an energetic sparing match. She'd hated Tommy ever since, convinced he was going to get her baby brother killed. He was a little surprised the tape had made it to him at all, but he supposed the trip they'd given her had granted him a bit of leverage.  
  
He put it in the rec room's VCR, making sure no one else was around to see. Satisfied, he plopped down on the couch to watch.  
  
The camera focused blearily on Tommy's face, far too close. There was a yelp.  
  
"You got it, Rocky?" Tommy asked.  
  
"Man, you have got to cleanse those pores, Tommy!"  
  
"Give me that." Adam sighed in the background. The picture was jostled around a bit more, and at last focused on a highly amused looking Tommy. "You're on, Tommy."  
  
"Hey, Jase. I know you, and you're busy worrying about how we're all doing."  
  
"No kidding." he retorted, as though his friend could hear him through the TV.  
  
If anything, the smile widened. "So to make sure you can sleep at night, we came up with the idea of sending you a video to prove we're all okay."  
  
"Hey!" came an indignant voice. "Who's idea was this?"  
  
Tommy chuckled. "Yours, Rocky."  
  
Tommy was suddenly plowed out of the way by Kimberly, who huffed and rolled her eyes at the camera. "Hey, Jase. Ignore them. We're all fine. Really. Let's see..."  
  
He smiled fondly as Kimberly pondered, then began to recount all the events he'd missed. He drank in the way she paused to toss her hair, then made a face at Rocky off-screen as he commented. It took over an hour of him sitting there, watching Rocky crack jokes, Billy inform him about the school's current programs, the way Adam quietly related information about the Rangers, and Aisha chattering about all the rumors flying, ranging from Ranger relationships to the usual bumbling of Bulk and Skull. At one point, Billy had even taken the camera into the Command Center to film an excited Alpha and a bemused Zordon.  
  
When Tommy took over the camera again, it began to show Amber, driving to her job as an office secretary and going through her daily life. He couldn't help but wonder how he'd managed to film her singing. It was practically a dirty secret, and always got him in trouble when he'd tried to spy on her. Tommy had even caught her yelling at him about hassling her, and that it wasn't his job to watch her with Jason gone. The answer of 'I promised Jason' had thrown her for a moment, and he could have sworn he saw tears in her eyes. The camera had been hastily shut off after that, ending with a group shot, everyone calling their good-byes and well-wishes as they waved.  
  
Jason sat in silence for a moment as the tape ran out. In the dark of the room, even a random passerby wouldn't have been able to see him suddenly rubbing at his eyes.  
  
****  
  
Jason smiled to himself as he popped his newest video into the VCR. It had been almost eighteen months since he'd watched that very first video. There had been several more since, and though he would never admit it, they were the highlight of his day. His work at the peace conference had almost ground to a halt as of late, due to arguments among the delegates. He was about ready to scream in frustration, so the sight of a new package had cheered him immensely. It had been awhile since the last video, which left him curious as to what was going on.  
  
The camera turned on to focus on Tommy. He started at the sight of Tommy wearing a bright red T-shirt. A sinking feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. What happened while he was gone?  
  
"Hey, Jase." The smile was as warm as ever. He glanced down at his shirt and grinned. "Surprised? This is sorta the reason I haven't been able to make one of these for awhile. We're Zeo Rangers now, and King Mondo is more determined than Zedd and Rita were. He's kept us hopping."  
  
As if to accent his statement, the camera man yawned.  
  
"Stay awake there, Rocko." Tommy called.  
  
"I am awake." his friend grumbled. "I'd be more awake if I hadn't had nightmares of you singing opera. Badly, might I add."  
  
Tommy scowled at him. "Just keep filming."  
  
Jason laughed in spite of his confusion. Tommy's singing voice wasn't that bad, as Kim had once sworn, but he was definately no opera singer. It made him wonder what had brought that on.  
  
Tommy began to go on in detail about the changes in the team, both in power and members. He wondered what had made Billy give up the Power, and worried for his friend. There were other things that bothered him, as well. Tommy had a sort of darkness in his eyes now, not the same as the shadows from his evil Green Ranger days, but a more permanent seriousness that didn't suit him.   
  
He knew about the breakup between Tommy and Kim. They'd both called him when it happened, both looking for a sympathetic ear and a shoulder to cry on. He'd listened to both sides and offerered his sympathy, though what he really wanted to do was smack their heads together and tell them to knock it off. They truly deserved each other as far as he was concerned, and this mess just proved it.  
  
He had his supicions that Kim was part of the reason for the change in Tommy, but he didn't know what else could have caused it. The more he watched, the more his concern for his bro grew. That somewhat shy nature and friendly smile weren't there anymore. Soemthing had happened, and he wished he knew what. This just...wasn't Tommy. Not *his* Tommy, anyway.  
  
The scene changed to an open desert, with Tommy behind the camera, announcing there was someone he wanted him to meet. Jason couldn't help but wonder at the barely reatrained excitement in his voice. It sounded more like the old Tommy, and he wondered what could make him so happy. It was a welcome change from the serious Tommy.  
  
"David!"  
  
The camera focused in on someone, and Jason started at the man's similarity to Tommy.  
  
"Jase, this is my brother, David." Tommy declared proudly. "Say hi to Jason, Dave."  
  
"Hello, Jason." David answered dryly, looking amused.  
  
Tommy interviewed David eagerly, telling Jason all about how they met. David answered his questions wth a dry humor that was so unlike Tommy it made Jason smile a little. It worried him at first, that Tommy had a 'real' brother now, one related to him by blood. After awhile of listening however, he realized that even as he was telling him all about David, David was being told all about him. It was obvious that Tommy was making a conscious effort to show how much he adored both of them, and he felt silly for ever thinking such a thing.  
  
He was smiling when the video ended, even if it did return that familiar ache that hadn't left him since he'd come here. It was good to know that his bro was happy, even if it was as seemingly simple a thing as finding he had a brother. He still worried over Tommy's newfound seriousness and Billy's decision to become support staff, but there wasn't too much he could do about either of them at the moment. He wished the new Zeo Rangers well, knowing they wouldn't allow themselves to fail.  
  
He glanced up as Zack plopped down on the couch next to him. The friendship between them had gotten closer during their time at the peace conference. While he and Zack had always been great friends, there had always been the knowledge that Zack was the first of Kim's friends, and he was one of the last. They had a lot in common, but there was still a sort of distance between them from the things they didn't have in common. Yet throughout their stay, Zack had been the one who nagged him out of bed when he was too sleepy to get up, dragged him off to do things when he became depressed, and was the first to either back him up or point out the fault in his logic during debates. He was greatful to the other teen everything, and knew with utter certainty that without Zack's determination and Trini's sympathetic ear and gentle reprimands when he faultered in his duties, he never would have lasted as long as he had. He owed them everything, and he could only hope they understood.  
  
"New video?" Zack asked, crossing his arms behind his bed.  
  
Jason nodded as he took it out of the VCR. "You get yours?"  
  
Zack merely grinned and held up a tape labled 'Zack's'. Just as Jason received his videos, separate copies came for Zack and Trini. While the tapes usually said almost the exact same thing, they always gave one another privacy during the viewings. Even if they doubted the others had meant for them to be so, the three of them considered watching their tapes to be a very personal experience. After the first viewing, it was open to share, but never without the other two. It was never something they'd discussed; just a mutual understanding.  
  
He clapped Zack on the shoulder. "Enjoy." He paused as he stood, glancing back at his friend. "Hey Zack, do me a favor?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Watch Tommy, would you? I'm not sure if it's just me or not."  
  
Zack's brow furrowed. "I'm not sure if I'll be as much help as Trini probably will, but no problem."  
  
"Thanks, man."  
  
As he walked out, tape in hand, Jason hoped feverently that it *was* just his imagination. Tommy didn't need any more shadows to his eyes. 


	5. Tears

Chapter 5:Tears  
  
"Yo, Scott!"  
  
"Lee Scott!" Jason shouted back, prompting a burst of laughter from the other delegates. It was a well-known fact that Jason took his last name very seriously, and never failed to correct anyone who didn't say it right. Eventually it had become a joke around the conference, and many people called him Scott just to hear the reprimand.  
  
"Whatever! You got a phone call!"  
  
His brow furrowed. No one was allowed phone calls during conference sessions; the caller was always politely informed to try back at a later time. He exchanged puzzeled glances with Zack and Trini as he headed down to answer it.  
  
"This is Jason." he announced into the phone.  
  
"Jase, I need you to stay calm for me, okay?"  
  
A chill ran down his spine. "That's not the best way to start a conversation, Tommy."  
  
"There was an attack at Nickson Express Services today. Some cogs ran inside to terrorize people."  
  
His heart skipped a beat. "Amber?"  
  
"She's in Angel Grove Memorial."  
  
"I'll be there as soon as I can catch a flight."  
  
"You're on the 6:00 to Florida tonight. Kimberly will be there to pick you up. You leave again at 8:45 the next morning for California. I'll meet you at the gate. Your tickets are all electronic, so all you have to do is tell the people at the desk."  
  
In his fear for Amber, his manners were completely overridden, and he failed to wonder at the fact that things had already been arranged for him. "I'll be there." He hung up abruptly.  
  
As he raced to inform the conference monitors and pack, he murmured a soft prayer to anyone who was listening for his Amby to be alright.  
  
****  
  
Jason was the epitome of tension when he entered the Florida airport. His nerves were shot, and his muscles had hardened in his high state of anxiety. People scurried to get out of his way. When he was relaxed, Jason was such a friendly guy everyone liked to be around him. Tense, he was incredibly imposing. He looked around swiftly.  
  
"Jason!" a voice called. He was instantly swept up in a tight hug.  
  
He swallowed hard, forcing the tears away from his eyes. "Hey, Kim." he managed.  
  
She squeezed tighter. Her gaze was full of sympathy and shared pain when she pulled away. "Come on." she told him softly. "You're crashing with me tonight."  
  
He nodded, not trusting himself to speak.  
  
The ride to her apartment was silent. Normally it would have been filled with talk over what was going on in their lives, or him teasing her about her pink Toyota. The lump in his throat refused to loosen, however, and he stared out the window in quiet contemplation. Kimberly had reached over to squeeze his hand at one point, and didn't let go again until she'd pulled into the carport.  
  
He made it up the stairs and into the living room before he lost it completely. His head fell back against the wall as he sobbed brokenly. Kim's arms went around him, pulling him gently down onto the couch with her. She held his head to her shoulder, stroking his hair and making soothing noises. There were no assurances that everything would be fine; Jason didn't want empty promises. She simply held him in her arms, offering comfort.  
  
When he cried himself to sleep, she adjusted her body carefully, letting Jason stay on her chest as she laid back with her arms around him. Her legs would be aching in the morning from Jason's weight, but she didn't care. Tonight one of her brothers needed her, and she was determined to be there for him.  
  
****  
  
Jason's eyes were still bloodshot when his final flight landed. He greeted Tommy quietly, only to be yanked into a hug with just as much force as Kimberly had given him. He returned it and struggled not to bury his face in the presented shoulder and cry. It took effort to pull away, and he swallowed back the impending tears harshly.  
  
Tommy silently wrapped an arm around his shoulders and led him to the car. It seemed to take hours to get to Angel Grove Memorial, when it was really only minutes. The following elevator ride was endless, and the nurse at the front desk didn't seem to notice them. When she looked up at last she smiled at Tommy, and asked if he'd brought a friend with him to see his sister. Tommy merely smiled back and nodded, leading Jason down the corridor at her approval.  
  
Jason glanced at him. "Your sister?" he murmured.  
  
Tommy shrugged, but his cheeks flushed slightly in embarassment. "It was the only way I could get in to see her. No one else has asked, so..."  
  
A tight smile crossed his face, and he squeezed Tommy's shoulder reassuringly. "It's okay, Bro. You're family anyway."  
  
He missed the elated expression on Tommy's face at that comment.  
  
The door of room 357 was pushed open at last, and Tommy gestured for him to go in, hanging back to give him privacy. Jason's eyes found the unconscious figure instantly. He stumbled, falling down hard into the chair beside the bed. He knew this was going to be difficult to see, but it was even worse than he'd imagined.   
  
Amber had always been tall in comparison to other girls, even if he had overshot her years ago. Her skin was perfect, and her makeup impecable. Her shoulder length hair was thick and shiny, falling around her shoulders in soft waves. Her dark eyes always showed what she was feeling, whether they flashed in anger or twinkled with laughter. She was always moving, laughing, talking, scolding, lecturing.  
  
Now she lay still, her skin seeming pale against the white bedsheets. That beautiful full brown hair was plastered limply to her neck. Those dark eyes were closed, and her perfect skin was marred with bruises and bandages. She seemed so much smaller and fragile. To put it quite simply, this wasn't his Amby.  
  
He reached out with shaky hands and carefully took hold of her fingers, lest he jostle the IV. Tears welled in his eyes, and his voice trembled as he spoke. "Hey, Amby. It's me. I came to see you. So you can open your eyes now, okay?"  
  
The eyelids never so much as flickered, and Jason broke down, sobbing into the bed. 


	6. Nightmare

And I manage to squeak out a couple more chapters! ^_^;;; Sorry about that; Fade to Darkness has a tendency to grab my muse and run for it, while this one just seems to lurk in the back of my mind and wait. Once again, thanks for the lovely reviews everyone. Much appreciated. I hope these chapters meet your approval. Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 6:Nightmare  
  
A beautiful asian woman with hair pulled into twin buns touched his head and gave him a warm, gentle smile. The large dark-haired man next to her grinned and ruffled his hair. "We'll be back soon, kiddo."  
  
"But I wanna go!" he protested.  
  
"I'm sorry, Jason. We'll bring you a present, alright?" The woman's smile was sympathetic, her voice as soft and kind as her words. "Be good for your sister."  
  
"Yes, Mama." he grumbled.  
  
They faded away suddenly, and the memory sharpened into the truth of what had happened that night. "No!" he shouted, once again a teenager rather than the child he'd been at the time. "Don't go! Come back! Please!"  
  
Amber appeared before him, hands on her hips as she shook her head. "You can't come with us Jason. Besides, you have other things to worry about." She disappeared as he reached for her.  
  
"No!" he screamed. "Mama! Papa! Amby!"  
  
Jason snapped awake abruptly, tears streaming down his cheeks. He laid still for a moment as his head cleared. He was in his bed, in his old house in Angel Grove. Amber had been in a coma for nearly a week now, and his life was falling apart.  
  
Yeah, he was back to the land of the living.  
  
Tommy skidded past the doorway, grabbing onto the doorframe and yanking himself inside the room. "What's wrong? I heard you scream." he demanded. His hair was disleveled from sleep, and he wore only his boxers. He'd volunteered to sleep on the couch a few nights ago, citing that Jason shouldn't be alone right now. He hadn't left yet, and Jason wasn't exactly complaining.  
  
"Nightmare." Jason said shortly, not bothering to rise. It wasn't the first one, and he doubted it was going to be the last.  
  
Tommy sat down on the floor beside the bed, leaning back against the wall. "You gonna tell me what it was about yet?"  
  
He sighed deeply. "My parents." he mumbled at last.  
  
Tommy remained silent, waiting. He knew prompting was more likely to shut Jason up than get anything out of him. His parents were an extremely sensitive subject to begin with. Now that Amber was comatose, Jason's sensitivity level had shot through the roof.  
  
Jason's eyes closed as he recalled the dream. "It was a memory, of the last time I saw them. Papa told me they'd be back soon, and Mama told me they'd bring a present, and to be good for Amber. Then they just...faded away. I started yelling for them, and Amber appeared to tell me that I couldn't come with them, and I had other things to worry about."  
  
Tommy winced in sympathy.  
  
"Then I woke up." he finished sullenly. His mood had been atrocious as of late, particularly after one of his nightmares. When his senses finally returned, he would be appalled at how he'd treated Tommy. Their friendship was what kept Tommy beside him despite his attitude, long after others would have left him alone.  
  
Tommy was silent for awhile, pondering exactly how to respond to this. "Did I get a chance to tell you what happened when we found the Cogs in the building?" he asked suddenly.  
  
"No." Jason sighed, not really sure where this was going and not particularly caring.  
  
"We found Amber, fighting."  
  
"Fighting?" Jason echoed uncertainly. Amber never fought, physically anyway. She hadn't in years.  
  
"Fighting." Tommy confirmed. "She was wearing a skirt and platform shoes, and she still managed to defend herself and the three people cowering behind her desk. Mostly she was throwing stuff at them," he admitted, "But she used a few familiar karate moves." A smile drifted across his face at the memory. "And she was yelling in Chinese."  
  
Jason fought back a faint smile of his own. "She does that when she's really mad."  
  
"The best part was what she was yelling." Tommy informed him. "According to my translator, it was something about 'no idiot wrapped in aluminum foil was going to get away with ruining all the files she'd just finished organizing, and she hadn't watched her little brother's karate tournaments for nothing'." He flushed slightly. "There was more language involved, but you get the idea."  
  
Jason barked out a harsh laugh. "That's Amber for you. She's giving me too much credit, though. She learned martial arts from Mama, even if she stopped practicing when she died."  
  
"You're kidding me. *Amber* took martial arts?"  
  
"She was good at it, too. Made it to lower level black belt, actually. She was working on her second when the accident happened." He swallowed hard, blinking back tears abruptly. "It was like...she just lost her reason for it. Mama was the one who encouraged us to practice. She told us it was always good to know how to defend those who couldn't help themselves. When she died, Amber just stopped. She wouldn't even talk about it. For awhile she didn't want me to keep up, but I begged her for so long she gave in. Not that she approved, but she let me." He paused thoughtfully. "To be honest, I was always a little surprised she'd come to my tournaments. She stayed in the back of the room and left as soon as I finished, but she was there."  
  
"Because she loves you." Tommy reminded him.  
  
"Loved." Jason corrected, blinking more tears away.  
  
Tommy shook his head vehemently. "She's *not* dead Jase. The doctors said there's a good chance she'll wake up soon."  
  
"Then why hasn't she?" he shot back. He sat up, wrapping his arms around his knees and buring his face against them. "Amber is all I have, Tommy. I *know* I have you and the guys, but..." He shrugged helplessly. "Amber's been my mother for almost three years now. She's always been there. And now that she isn't, I..." He ran a hand through his hair. "I can't deal with this." he finished softly.  
  
There was a moment of silence, and at last Tommy crawled up onto the bed, pulling Jason into a tight hug. He said nothing, only squeezed gently. Jason lost the battle against his tears and broke down at last, sobbing into his knees as Tommy held onto him. Tommy winced, but stayed where he was in silence, knowing Jason didn't want anything more.  
  
They fell asleep that way at last, and even though they were both stiff in the morning, neither begrudged the other their presence. 


	7. Hospital

Chapter 7:Hospital  
  
Jason leaned against the wall of the elevator in silent contemplation. It seemed a lot of things could happen in a week. The doctors had admitted they had no idea why Amber wouldn't wake, and had tried to suggest pulling the plug. Tommy was barely able to hold him back as he screamed Chinese curses he hadn't even remembered he knew. Then a few days later, Tommy had offered him the chance to become a Ranger again.  
  
He'd pounced on it. In retrospect, he wasn't so proud of his reasons, but they'd needed a replacement for Trey, and he had fit the bill. This time it wasn't about saving the world and helping the innocent that he'd become a Ranger. It was for a purely selfish reason; he wanted Mondo to pay for hurting his Amby.  
  
He nodded to the nurse at the desk, who had come to believe that he and Tommy were both Amber's brothers, and was allowed through without comment. He pushed open the door to her room and started. Billy glanced up from his seat beside the bed. "So this is why you agreed."  
  
Jason stared for a moment before coming in all the way and closing the door behind him. "What are you doing here? And what do you mean, why I agreed?"  
  
Billy looked at him seriously. "I've known you since we were thirteen, Jason. I saw you first become a Ranger. It was different this time. You were eager, and not for the same reasons. So I tracked your movements, threatened Tommy into spilling what had happened, and came to visit Amber myself." He glanced at the bed. "She may not like me much, but I always did appreciate her protectiveness for what it was. As for why I'm here, I thought you could use a friend. Even one you never bothered to mention something so important to."  
  
Jason winced, leaning back against the wall. "I'm sorry." His voice sounded small even to him. "I just..."  
  
He wasn't even aware he'd broken down again until Billy's arms went around him, rubbing his back soothingly. "You're a mess, Jason." the other boy murmured.  
  
Jason's only answer was another sob.  
  
It was quite awhile before he'd calmed down again. Billy never let go, just holding him in silent comfort. He sniffled at last, and Billy offered a tissue. That got a faint smile as he pulled away to blow his nose and scrub at his eyes. "You're right." he said finally, his voice hoarse. "I am a mess."  
  
Billy looked him up and down, then sighed. "You forgot to call me."  
  
Jason winced again. "I'm sorry."  
  
He waved a hand dismissively. "It's not your fault, Jason. You're obviously not in your right mind. Tommy and I will be exchanging words, however." he muttered in aside. "In the meantime, I thought it might be beneficial if I ran a few scans from the Power Chamber to see if I can find anything the doctors have missed."  
  
Jason stared at him. "You'd do that for me?"  
  
Billy shook his head with a smile. "Of course. You're my friend. Besides, Amber was injured in a Cog attack. It's entirely likely this coma has something to do with-" The rest of his sentence was choked off by Jason grabbing him in a bear hug and squeezing tight. "Air, Jason." he wheezed. "I can't help her if I can't breathe."  
  
Jason back off immediately with an embarassed "Sorry."  
  
Billy smiled in fond exasperation. "It's understandable."  
  
Both boys looked up as a head poked into the room hesitantly, and were startled to see Rocky. He seemed just as startled to see them, his eyes drifting to the figure in the bed. His brow furrowed. "This isn't what I was expecting."  
  
Jason and Billy exchanged glances. Billy gave his friend's shoulder a squeeze. "I'll do my best, Jason. I'll contact you as soon as I know anything."  
  
"Thanks, Billy."  
  
Billy brushed past Rocky, eyeing the other boy in amusement. Rocky looked at him in confusion, which shifted into nervousness as he turned back to Jason. "Uh..."  
  
Jason smiled and shook his head. "You can come in, Rocky."  
  
He entered hesitantly, watching Jason take a seat beside the bed. His predecessor's eyes were still bloodshot, and he looked terrible. "Who is she?"  
  
"My sister."  
  
Rocky flinched. "Aw, man. I'm sorry, Jason." His tone was filled with such sincere regret that Jason couldn't bring himself to be angry at the sympathy.  
  
Jason rubbed his eyes tiredly. "She was hurt an a Cog attack at her work. Tommy said she was trying to fight them off."  
  
Rocky's eyes widened in recognition. "You mean *she's* your sister? Wow."  
  
Jason glanced up warily. "What?"  
  
"Your sister's a lot tougher than she looks." Rocky told him honestly.  
  
A faint smile flickered across his face. "Yeah. She takes after our mother that way."  
  
Rocky hesitated for a moment. "Why aren't your parents here?" He regretted asking the moment Jason's shoulders tensed. "Sorry." he offered uncertainly. "It's just that...I never really got to know much about you."  
  
"That's true." Jason murmured. He sighed, leaning back in the chair to stare at the ceiling. "My parents died in a car accident when I was thirteen. Amber was only eight months away from her eighteenth birthday, so the court decided she was old enough to take care of herself. She fought them to keep me with her instead of going to a foster home."  
  
"Don't you have any grandparents?" Rocky interupted softly.  
  
He shook his head. "My parents were an interracial couple. Neither of their parents approved. Not to mention Mama got pregnant with Amber when she was sixteen. She and Papa wanted to get married, but they weren't going to be able to until after the baby was born. When Mama refused to leave him or abort the child, their parents disowned them."  
  
Rocky winced. "Ouch."  
  
"Mama was young, but she loved being a mother. I was born a few years later." He sighed softly. "All we had was each other, and we were happy. Amber was my annoying big sister, Papa taught me about honor and sports, and Mama looked after us and helped us with our karate." His eyes closed for a moment. "They were driving to an awards dinner when a drunk driver ran them off the road. When Amber got custody of me, things weren't exactly perfect. She didn't know how to be a mom, and I couldn't think of her as being in charge of me."  
  
His gaze shifted back to the still form in the bed. "She wouldn't give up, though. We learned to work things out, and work together to make sure we stayed together. She's been my guardian for just about three years now, since right before we moved to Angel Grove. We still fight a lot, but we always work it out in the end."  
  
"If you're so close, why did you leave for the peace conference?" Rocky asked, puzzled.  
  
"That was one of our bigger fights." he admitted. "I was late getting home from a monster attack, and I was supposed to have cleaned the house for the social worker the next day. She accused me of not being able to handle responsibility, and I said my friends took better care of me than she did. I'd just gotten an application for the conference at school that morning. I figured if she didn't want me around, I wouldn't be around. I never actually expected to be accepted, but by then it was too late."  
  
"Double ouch."  
  
"We worked it out after I got there. We missed each too much to stay mad." He laughed softly. "My Christmas present from the guys was to send her to Europe for a visit."  
  
"So that's what they were all excited about!" Rocky exclaimed. "I wondered."  
  
He smiled. "Even Amber had to give them credit for that one. She's never liked my friends much because she's always worried about them getting me hurt."  
  
"We sort of do." Rocky pointed out. "Not on purpose, but she's gotta be pretty perceptive to notice you getting hurt at all."  
  
"She has this way of knowing when I'm not telling her something, almost like a sixth sense. I can *never* get away with keeping secrets from her. The Power is only reason she doesn't know I'm a Ranger." Jason told him.  
  
They fell silent for awhile. Jason took Amber's hand, watching her still face. "This isn't right." he whispered. "Amber doesn't even stay still when she sleeps. She's never so quiet."  
  
Rocky put a hand on his shoulder, his gaze sympathetic. "I wish there was something I could do, Jason. None of my brothers or sisters have ever been in the hospital for this long, but I know it'd kill me if they were."  
  
Finding nothing to say in response, Jason settled for reaching up to pat Rocky's hand appreciatively. 


End file.
